Dec. 12, 2024 — The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) applauds Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) for introducing the Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2024 (MARCA).
“With demand for quality and timely radiology services continuing to rise, MARCA will remove federal barriers to enable radiologists to fully utilize the radiologist assistant as an advanced practice provider specifically trained to assist on diagnostic and therapeutic radiology procedures,” says ARRT CEO Liana Watson, D.M., R.T.(R)(M)(S)(BS)(ARRT). “This monumental legislation will ensure that all services provided by a radiologist assistant, supervised by a radiologist as part of a radiologist-led team, receive Medicare reimbursement, regardless of the setting in which the radiology service is provided.”
Passage of MARCA will enable radiologists to devote more focused time to performing complex procedures and reviewing and interpreting medical imaging examinations, thus increasing Medicare patients' access to care. The radiologist-led medical imaging team will be able to work more efficiently and allow patients to receive high-quality medical imaging care from radiologist assistants, regardless of the facility in which their procedure takes place.
ARRT applauds Senators Boozman and Lujan for their leadership in recognizing the positive impacts that removing federal barriers to fully utilize the radiologist assistant will have on beneficiaries across the country. ARRT looks forward to enthusiastically supporting advancement of this bill through Congress.